Quite the Vacation Resort - Part Two

Posted on Sun Feb 23rd, 2020 @ 6:54pm by Lieutenant Commander Elizabeth Yamaguchi-Solusar & Lieutenant Commander Gabriel Yamaguchi & Lieutenant JG Rachael "Ripcord" Yamaguchi-Cullen & Ensign Paul Harrison

Mission: Mission 1: Impact
Location: Various Locations - Starbase 400
Timeline: 1845Hrs - June 29th, 2388

Racheal looked up at Paul. "He worries about me..." she paused. "and for good reason, with Mom offbase... I'll be home alone.." she raised an eyebrow. "Unless my mom has a contingency plan for it... which I doubt."

He shrugged, "It'll all work out. You could always stay with my friend's dad, Vincent. He's an okay guy. "

Racheal raised an eyebrow as she looked at Paul as she could almost feel the hesitation coming from him and she suddenly felt a desperate urge to call him on what she was feeling from him but her self control slammed down and quelched it. "I'll mention the idea to my mother... she'll want to meet the man first of course..." she sighed softly. "were we going anyway?"

"Stellar Cartography. Best place to see the universe." He smiled at her.

"Sounds cool," she responded evenly. "So... tell me about yourself?" she inquired. "What is there around here to do for fun?" she added a moment later.

"For fun? This is a starbase. There's not much here to do. You have to make your fun." He observed her for a moment, "You certainly ask a lot of questions."

Racheal raised an eyebrow. "I do... its how I get my infomation, my good man," she responded with a cheerful smile. "I mean how else do I find things out?. Mom taught me to keep calm, keep my wits about me and always ask questions..."

"I guess that's good advice." He led her to a room where a crewman was standing, "Sir, I was wondering if I could show her a few things. I'm trying to help her with her homework."

He smiled, "That's fine. If you need any help, let me know. I'll be over here."

Paul punched a few commands. All of a sudden, stars were all around her. Constellations, everything, it was beautiful."

Racheal looked around at darkest night as she felt almost adrift and alone in the firment as she marveled at the stars.

He pointed above, "This is basic astronomy 101. It's what we are taught in elementary school." He punched something else in and the scene changed, "This is the Delta Quadrant or at least what we know from the records of Voyager." He changed it again, "Here is the Triangle. Over there is Meja's Nebula. I've never actually been inside a nebula but with this program, you can actually see what it is like to be in one." He noticed that her eyes were like the stars around them but he was too embarrassed to tell her that.

Racheal reached out and touched a star that was within reach, it blossomed before her to an object the size of a basketball with all the spectral infomation on the star as well as all of the planets contained within the system. "I never had access to anything like this on my mother's last assignment."
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He watched her and smiled, "You can learn a lot from this room. It's so much better than just seeing the facts on a PADD." He couldn't stop smiling at her, "This is going to sound corny but your eyes match the stars."

Racheal looked at him as a smile streaked across her lips. "It's not corny as long as you believe it." She considered going over to him but she didn't want to make him any more uncomfortable. "Thanks for helping me." She looked over at him.

"You're going to help me so let say we're even." This was the first girl that he had ever felt like kissing. Paul changed the scenery once again then moved closer to her. As he stood in front of her, he pointed behind her, "This is cool." He pointed to a meteor shower which looked like fireworks. He took her hand and held it as they watched. He looked over at her and smiled. He then pulled her closer to him and looked into her eyes once again. Waiting for the right moment, he went in for a soft kiss...hoping that it didn't end with a right cross to his cheek.

Racheal had expected Paul to do something and in truth, she wasn't going to make a scene, yet as she watched the dozen or so comets coming right towards her, she smiled as she saw Paul in her vision.

There was something about him, he was larger and more massive then she was and yet she felt accepted with him, he didn't try to impress her or flatter her with meaningless gestures, he was the way he was and didn't require anything from her.

She flinched when she felt his lips on the corner of her cheek because she had turned her head right at the last second and had he waited for another half-second, he would have kissed her on the lips, she smiled. "Hey..." she said quietly. "so... that was what kissing felt like..."

Blushing a little, "Usually, kissing is done on the lips. I guess I missed." He chuckled nervously.

Racheal chuckled softly as she smiled up at him. "It's alright... had I known... I would have made it easier... I might be twelve but Hallians develop faster then humans do... my mixed ancestry muddles the picture somewhat but... nothing serious.

Paul nodded then he asked shyly, "Can we, I mean, is it okay if I kiss you again?" He added, "Correctly?"

Racheal looked up at him, the promise of the moment held in her dusky brown eyes. "Sure.." she commented shyly as she lifted her head and closed her eyes and waited.

They stood face to face as he lifted her chin so he could get a better angle to kiss her. His lips slowly came towards hers. He paused for a few seconds, then softly touched his lips to hers and kissed her. He had never kissed a girl but it seemed so natural.

A smile blossomed on Racheal's delicate face as she opened her eyes as she looked at him.

It was his first kiss. He was nervous about it but after he saw her smile, he felt more confident, "Now I get why Captain Pike is always kissing my mother. It's nice."

Racheal looked at him. "Also because he loves her..." she responded. "But I sense you somehow wonder about where you fit in with them two...." she raised an eyebrow as she looked up at him. "I have some telepathic abilities... not enough to pry into someone else's mind of course... but I can almost feel this uncertainty about you.... if you want to talk about things...let me know okay?"

"I didn't get to know my mother until just recently after my father died. They were divorced when I was little and dad didn't let me see mom too often. Plus it was hard to when she was in Starfleet, you know how that is. Anyway, I have just been getting to know her again when Pike came along. I know I fit in somewhere, it's just hard to see it right now. That's all."

Racheal looked up at the human male standing before her. "You fit in here," she responded evenly. "Your mom has to know how you feel on the matter."

"When she is here, I'll talk to her about it, that is when she IS here. I've hardly seen her since I've been here."

Racheal gently placed her hand on his. "Then... you need to demand her attention..."

"Demand her attention? How do I do that?" He looked lost.

"You are her only son. Walk up to her and tell her that you need her," she explained as for her, this situation was unthinkable. "Why don't you come over tonight for dinner and you can spend time with my family."

"Oh-kay. As long as Beth behaves herself, I'd like that." He smiled at her.

"She will..." Racheal responded evenly. "Shall we?"

"Sure." He stuck his hand out, took Racheal's hand and held it as they exited the holodeck.

They approached a turbolift as Racheal raised an eyebrow. "So... what would you say to Beth if she started hitting on you again?" she inquired with a smile.

"Sorry but my heart belongs to Racheal." He smiled.

Racheal smiled as she turned a deep shade of chocolate. "Mmm.. well I am only twelve.. but Halanan girls develop faster then humans do... " she paused as she considered how to say it.

"That's why I don't feel funny being with you. If you were any other girl, my mom would flip out but I think that she will be fine with us."

Racheal smiled. "I'd like to meet your mother... she can't be worse than my mother."

"I'd like that. But I've never met your mother, even though I want to, so I couldn't say."